NEW DELHI: Is Eknath Shinde, the caretaker chief minister of Maharashtra, upset over the turn of events after the ruling Mahayuti of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP scripted a spectacular victory under him in the assembly elections?
On Friday, a day after the first meeting of Mahayuti leaders on government formation in Delhi with BJP’s top leadership, Shinde left for his native village Dare in Satara. His sudden trip put on hold an announced second meeting of the allies in Mumbai today leading to speculations.
However, his party Shiv Sena dismissed these speculations. “He (Shinde) is not upset. Even in Delhi, he was down with fever and cold. It will be wrong to say he has gone to Dare because he is upset,” Sena leader Uday Samant said. “Anyone can face health issues, and if he has gone to a good place (for health reasons), there is no point in concluding that he is upset,” Samant added.
Samant confirmed that Shinde will return to Mumbai on Saturday and that cabinet formation will be finalized shortly.
But Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat added a twist to the tale. “Whenever Eknath Shinde thinks that he needs some time to think he goes to his native village. When he (Eknath Shinde) has to make a big decision he goes to his native village. By tomorrow evening he (Eknath Shinde) will take a very big decision,” Shirsat said.
Shiv Sena has said that Shinde is yet to decide if he is ready for role reversal with Fadnavis in the next Maha government. “If Shinde does not accept the deputy CM’s post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this,” said another Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat.
The party has also ruled out any compromise formula involving any role for Shinde in the Union Cabinet. Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister.
Earlier this week, Shinde had announced at a press conference that he will not be an obstacle in the formation of the new government and will “abide by the decision of Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah on the CM pick.”
“You (PM Modi) are the head of our family. The way people of BJP accept your decision, we will also accept your decision in the same way. I made a phone call to PM Modi and HM Amit Shah yesterday and told them that there will be no problem in forming the government because of me,” Shinde had said.
After the results, the Shiv Sena had carried out a concerted campaign for continuity in Mahayuti’s leadership citing the Bihar model of Nitish Kumar. Shiv Sena leaders demanded second term for Shinde crediting his governance for the coalition’s massive win in the assembly elections.
But the BJP, with 132 seats in the 288-member assembly, wants to lead the government this time setting the stage for the return of Devendra Fadnavis as the next chief minister.
People of Maharashtra who gave the Mahayuti a spectacular victory in the assembly elections will have to wait till next week for their government as the pre-poll bonhomie of the allies has been put to severe test over power sharing in the new government.
(With inputs from agencies)